A new type of prosthetic hand partly controlled by an iPhone app has allowed a father to hold his daughter’s hand for the first time since an accident four years ago in which both hands had to be amputated …

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Conventional prosthetic hands have a limited range of movements, typically with all four fingers moving together and a simple pincer movement of the thumb. 34-year-old Jason Koger has now been fitted with a pair of ultra-sophisticated bionic hands which allow each finger to move independently, and the thumb to rotate.

UK-based company Touch Bionics designed the hands. The iPhone app isn’t just a gimmick: there are certain grip patterns which are extremely difficult to master, and the app allows Koger to select one of 24 grips just by touching an icon on the phone’s screen. These include right-clicking a mouse, but for Koger there was one application that meant more than any other:

“For the first time in five years I can hold my daughter’s hand,” said Koger. “I can’t tell you what a gift that feels like.”

About the Author

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels published to date, and an SF novella series coming in March 2017.